Buckle



Jan. 8 s

s. H. BROWN Filed March 9.r 1923 Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES `risen? PATENT OFF-ICE..

SOPHIE H. BROWN, OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA.

BUCKLE.

To all w 710m t may conce/Mc Be it known that l, SOPHIE H. BROWN, a citizen of the UnitedV States, residing at Muskogee in the county of Muskogee and State of klahoma, haveinvented a certain new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a. buckle and while adapted for general uses is particularly intended for use as a supporter buckle, said buclde lbeing particularly adapted for use in conjunction with elastic `webbing and so constructed as to grip the elastic tightly and preclude the slipping through the buckle no matter how badly said elastic may be worn.

The object of the invention is to provide .fl simple, highly etlicient and thoroughly practical construction, economical to manufacture and easily manipulated.

ln its preferred practical form, it embodies a piece of heavy wire rod, the ends of which are returned upon themselves to form trunnions on which a clamping plate is pivoted. The clamping plate is provided with a flange havinga serrated edge adapted to grip the elastic with which the buckle is associated, while the body of the plate is provided with a plurality of sharp prongs adapted to impale the elastic .and serve to further maintain it against slipping relative to the buckle. The buckle thus serves as a double lock and in practice positively precludes slipping of the elastic.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claim, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown, is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a face view of the buckle showing the same associated with an elastic strip and illustrated in open position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement in closed or gripping position; and,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the arrangement with the buckle in open position.

The buckle of this invention preferably embodies a substantially C-shaped body member which in practice may be conveniently bent up fromY heavy wire rod, so` as to The trunnions 2 provide for pivotal mounting of the clamping plate. 4, which may be conveniently stamped up from sheet metal to providecurled portions 5 which embrace the trunnions 2 Land-mount the plate 4 for pivotal movement on thesetrunnions. One edge of the plateisbent downwardly to form a gripping flange 6, the free edge of which is serrated and this flange is so configurated and disposed with reference to the plate that when the plate is pivotally moved this flange will operate after the manner o a cam or eccentric and when thus operated will serve to engage an intermediate portion of the elastic strip passed through the body member as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The body o-f the plate 4 is preferably made substantially fiat and on its under side is provided with a plurality of rigid sharpened prongs 7, which when the plate is in the locking position sho-wn in Figure 2, will impale the elastic and constitute a supplemental locking feature, so that the elastic is not only locked by the serrated edge of the locking flange but is also secured against slipping by the prongs 7, as will be clearly understood. When it is desired to adjust the buckle, however, the pla-te t is swung back into the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, whereupon the intermediate portion of the elastic will be released and is free to slide freely through the buckle.

ln practice, I may if desired form the prong 7 integral with the plate 4 by stamping them up from this plate during the process of making the buckle in which event it will be apparent that the buckle is of two piece construction and is so simple from a structural standpoint that it may be manufactured at a minimum cost and through the employment or' entirely automatic machinery. This structure however is thoroughly reliable and when it is in locked position it will have no tendency to Work loose but Will tightly grip the material with which it is associated. As appears in Figure 2, the flange 6 is preferably deep enough so that it Will cause the elastic strip to be slightly bent about the lparallel part l of the body member and this feature will insure a firm and tight grip since strain on the elastic will tend to straighten it out and cause it to be gripped tighter.

The prongs 7 are made small, i. e. of relatively small cross section and are preferably rounded so that they will not have cutting edges which. would cut and tear the belt or elastic webbing with which they are adapted to engage. ln other Words, the prongs may be referred to as small rounded non-cutting edge prongs. find that such prongs Will properly cooperate With the material with which the buckle is used and will have no cutting action whatsoever thereon as is the case in prior constructions employing prongs.

The buckle described is particularly intended for use in connection with supporters but may be employed for other purposes 'it desired.

Having thus fully described the invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

buckle embodyin a Wire rod having a substantially straig` it intermediate por tion, and the opposite ends of which rod are returned upon themselves into alined relation to constitute spaced trunnions, a locking plate provided at its lateral edges with tongues which are curled over the trunnions t0 mount `the plate for pivotal movement thereon., a locking flange On the plate between the tongues and provided with a serrated edge eccentrically positioned with reference to the axis of pivotal movement of said plate, and prongs projecting from the under side of said plate and arranged along the free end thereof, said prongs being rounded and of relatively small cross section and adaptedv to impale the material with Which the buckle is associated When the serrated edge of the locking flange is in locked relation with said material, whereby the material is doubly impaled, Without cutting by the serratedk edge and prongs.

In testimony whereof have signed the foregoing specification.

SOPHIE H. BROWN. 

